Envirotech Air Quality Services Blog : Archive for March, 2012

Is your AC ready for summer?

Thursday, March 29th, 2012

Summer is quickly coming to South Florida. Is your air conditioning system ready for it? Regular maintenance is essential for the life of your home comfort system. At Envirotech Air we have two different packages available for AC system maintenance, but we highly recommend scheduling 2 maintenance checks per year.

$124.99 Preventative Maintenance Package (2 annual visits)

$89.99 Preventative Maintenance (1 visit)

Here at Envirotech Air Quality Services, our technicians provide a complete inspection and cleaning during an annual AC maintenance visit. Many homeowners also forget that these yearly check-ups help to prevent safety concerns. We train our HVAC technicians to be thorough with all air conditioning inspections. Help protect your West Palm Beach area home and cut down on your energy costs by calling us to schedule an appointment. We are always happy to answer questions and provide advice on how to care for your AC unit, so call today!

 

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Miami Beach Air Conditioning Tip: The Ins and Outs of Ductless Splits Air Conditioning

Monday, March 26th, 2012

So, it’s time to install a new air conditioner and you’re pretty sure there just isn’t enough room in the walls or ceilings of your Miami Beach to place the necessary ductwork. No problem. There is a rapidly evolving technology that allows you to have air conditioning without ductwork. It’s called mini-split ductless air conditioning and it relies on individual units placed in key locations around your house. Here’s how they work.

Multi-Zone Cooling

The first step is to install a central unit. This is your compressor and condenser and is usually placed outside like the core of a central AC system. These units range between 15,000 and 40,000 BTUs depending on how much cooling your home needs and will support up to 4 zones within your house.

Once the central unit is installed, smaller room-sized units are placed throughout your house. These units are designed for between 9,000 and 18,000 BTU spaces and are usually placed high on the wall of your room to distribute cooled air. The smaller units are connected to the main unit by refrigerant lines that are run up the side of your house (or inside if you want them out of the elements).

Because each indoor unit is individual and has its own thermostat, you save electricity by having direct control over each part of your home. In fact, the average ductless split system uses something like 30% less electricity than a standard air conditioning system.

Is it Right for You?

This is the most common question we hear and to be honest, it really depends on your needs. If you have a large house – we’re talking 3,000 square feet or bigger, a multi-zone ductless system may not provide enough cooling on its own. However, if you have a smaller home, or more importantly have no space for ductwork, these systems are much more efficient than installing multiple window units.

For more information about installing a ductless mini split system in your Miami Beach home, give Envirotech Air Quality Services a call today!

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West Palm Beach Indoor Air Quality Tip: Preventing and Cleaning Up Attic Mold

Wednesday, March 21st, 2012

It’s a nightmare situation – going up to the attic to retrieve a box of Christmas ornaments or an old suit and finding patches of mold growing on the rafters or insulation in your West Palm Beach attic. Luckily, if you act quickly enough it’s possible to not only remove that mold but to prevent it from coming back.

Getting Rid of Attic Mold

Mold removal is a tricky process, especially if it gets into the insulation or the plywood of the roof. However, if it’s a small amount of mold or if it has yet to get into the wood, cleaning and replacement of certain woods and insulation patches can get the job done. The key is to call a West Palm Beach mold remediation firm to provide an estimate.

Why not clean up the mold yourself? Mold is a rooting spore. It may appear on surfaces, but even if properly cleaned, there may still be mold underneath the surface. This can only be removed by a West Palm Beach mold removal professional who can perform biological tests and implement prevention tactics as the mold is removed. The real key to stopping mold in your attic is to ensure it never appears in the first place.

Attic Mold Prevention

The vast majority of attic mold problems occur because of moisture and a lack of ventilation. Many homes simply seal up the attic with insulation and ignore the space. If the attic is small and can’t be used for storage or living space especially, it’s just a liability during the summer and winter when heat enters and exits through the roof.

But, if moisture develops in the attic, either through poorly sealed windows or a leak in the roof, and there isn’t enough ventilation to keep air moving through the space, mold will grow at record speeds. Even without a leak, the warmer air in your home can produce condensation on the floorboards of the attic. It doesn’t take much moisture to produce mold, especially if there isn’t any ventilation to allow it to dissipate.

Another common problem is when the vents from your bathrooms, laundry room or garage empty directly into the attic and then have no way to exit that space. The moisture from your bathroom alone can turn your attic into a moldy nightmare.

If ventilation is your problem, there are many possible solutions. Soffit vents are recommended for air flow while an attic fan can not only vent out that moist air, but keep the attic cooler in the summer and save you money on your cooling bill.

If you have any more questions about how to deal with mold in your home, give Envirotech Air Quality Services a call today!

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